A Chinese-British man alleged to be a senior crime syndicate member has been extradited from Thailand, accused of conspiring to traffic illegal drugs into Australia.

Australian Federal Police along with Royal Thai Police extradited the 66-year-old from Bangkok to Melbourne on Saturday.

The AFP will allege the man was part of a conspiracy to traffic five separate quantities of methamphetamine (or derivatives of the drug) totalling 40kg over a number of months in 2012.

They say he is a senior criminal associate of a transnational drug cartel.

The man was arrested in his Bangkok apartment in October 2020 by Thai authorities carrying out an arrest warrant based on charges to be laid in Australia.

The dual national has appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court facing a charge of conspiracy to traffic a commercial quantity of a controlled drug of which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Krissy Barrett says his extradition is part of a long-running investigation into a prolific transnational organised crime syndicate.

“The extradition of someone we allege to be high on the pecking order of this serious criminal syndicate is a significant milestone for the AFP,” she said on Sunday.

“It shows the AFP and its partners remain one step ahead in working tirelessly to keep our community safe”.

-AAP